Supporter



L. C. LEAK.

SUPPORTER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 13. 1919.

Patented June 24, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

L c. LEAK. SUPPORTER- APPLICATION FILED FEB. 13. 19l9 Patented June 24, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS C. LEAK, 0F WAUSAU, WISCONSIN.

SUPPORTER.

Specification of Letters Patent. ,Patented June 24, 1919.

Application filed February 13, 1919. 7 Serial No. 276,840.

To all whom it may concern: I Be it known that I, LOUIS C. LEAK, a citizen of the United States, residing at lVausau, in the county of Marathon and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in- Supporters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is a device intended more particularly to be worn by corpulent men for the purpose of supporting the trousers and reducing and supporting the abdomen. The invention seeks to provide a device which will be cheap and light and which may be worn without discomfort and will furnish the needed support and bracing effeet. The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and will be hereinafter fully described.

In the drawings Figure l is a perspective view of my improved device showing the same in the position it assumes when in use;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the improved device;

Fig. 3 is a central horizontal section;

Fig, 4 is a detail vertical section through one of the bracing ribs.

In carrying out my invention,I employ a belt 1 of some light strong textile fabric such as cotton, silk or similar material. This belt is wider at its ends than at its middle so that it may be fitted closely to the body of the wearer at the waist lineand will conform to the wearer without producing any discomfort. At intervals through the length of. this belt, I provide reinforcing and bracing ribs which consist of strips 2 of whalebone or other material which is light and somewhat flexible. The length of these strips is somewhat less than the Width of the belt at the points where the respective strips are applied and the strips are held to the belt by pockets or coverings 3 somewhat greater in length and width than the strips so that the ends and side edges of the covers may be stitched to the belt close to the ends and edges of the strips of bone and thereby permanently secure the strips to the belt without increasing the weight of the device or producing excessive projections thereon. Moreover, this construction will produce a substantially flat structure so that when the device is worn it will not irritate the wearer and will not affect the fit or appearance of the clothing. Any number of these ribs or bracing strips may be .upon the meeting end of the belt.

provided but it is not necessary to have them extend over the entire surface of the belt, it being sufficient to provide them at the points of greatest strain, as indicated in the accompanying drawings. Upon the outer surface of the belt adjacent the upper edge thereof, I secure 'astrap & of tape or other similar material which extends over the upper portions of the pockets 3 and the ribs or strips contained therein and is stitched at its lower edge directly to the belt 1. Along all the edges of the belt I secure binding 5 which is substantially U-shaped in cross-section so as to cover the edges of the belt and fit against the inner and outer faces of the same. These binding strips are secured by stitching and the strip along the upper edge of the belt is arranged to extend over the upper edge of the strap 4 and be secured to the belt by the same row of stitching 6 that secures the strap thereto. Tabs 7 are secured to the strap under the binding at proper intervals and provided with buttonholes to engage over the suspender buttons 8 upon the trousers so that when the device is drawn closely about the body the trousers will be held in proper position to have a neat appearance and at the same time a comfortable fit. The trousers may be provided with the usual belt loops 9 to receive an external belt of leather and of ordinary construction. The ends 10 of the belt 1 are arranged to overlap, as shown most clearly in Fig. 3, and a plurality of the'ribs 3 is disposed upon the outer surface of the belt adjacent each end of the same so that the greatest strength will be provided at and near the ends, where the greatest strain is placed thereon. 'Upon the outer face of the belt adjacent one end thereof, I secure a plurality of fastening straps 11 which have their free ends arranged to engage buckles 12 on the ends of similar straps 13 secured The straps 11 and 13 are stitched to the belt at the rear edges of ribs 3 adjacent the ends of thebelt so that the strain will be received by the said ribs and, consequently, the belt will not be caused to fold along its longitudinal lines and become uncomfortable but will be held flat at all times. The uppermost straps 11 and 13 are disposed in alinement with the strap 4-, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2, so that when the ends of the straps 11 have been properly engaged in the buckles 12 and fastened the strap 4 will be drawn taut around the-body and will, there fore, properly support the trousers. The straps l, 11 and 13 may be made of heavy tape or braid but should not be of elastic material so that they will not stretch readily but will retain their shape and will thereby prevent the entire device losing its efficiency.

The fastening straps are secured at their ends only and the ends of the belt are thereby permitted to overlap to a considerable degree and a single device will thus be capable of use by persons having widely varying waist measures. The strap 4L should be of sufficiently heavy material to maintain its shape even when carrying the weight of the trousers, but should not be so thick orheavy as to affect the sightliness of the trousers or beuncomfortable to the wearer. It will also be noted, moreover, upon reference to Fig. 2, that the lower edge of the belt is cut on a curve corresponding to the usual curvature of the human body about the waist line and the fastening straps 11 are arranged to diverge toward their free ends so as to aid in causing the device to fit comfortably to the body. By having the upper edge of the strap secured under the upper binding 5, the sightliness of the belt is increased and the liability of said edge to work loose from the belt and to wear, so as to shorten the period of usefulness of the device, is over- It is also to be noted that the buttonhole tabs 7 are arranged immediately adjacent some of the ribs and, consequently, the said ribs directly act to support the trousers and prevent sagging of the belt under the weight of the garment.

The device is exceedingly simple and may be produced at a low cost. lVhen in use it will improve the figure and carriage of the wearer and will render unnecessary the use of the uncomfortable suspenders. By furnishing the needed support at the waist line, the device tends to strengthen the body and is therefore, especially advantageous when worn by men performing laborious tasks, such as freight handlers, porters, or other persons engaged in handling heavy weights.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A device for the purpose set forth comprising a belt of textile fabric wider at its ends than at its middle, diverging fastening straps secured to the belt near the meeting ends thereof, reinforcing ribs disposed. transversely upon the belt at intervals through the length of the same, a strap secured longitudinally upon the belt immediately adjacent the upper edge thereof to be engaged with a garment, and binding secured along all edges of the belt and inclosing the upper edges of said strap and the ends of the ribs.

2. A device for the purpose set forth comprising a belt of textile fabric wider at its ends than at its middle and having its ends adapted to overlap, divergent fastening straps each secured at one end upon the outer face of the belt near the end thereof and adapted to cooperate with a strap at the opposite end of the belt to fasten the same, transverse rein-forcing ribs secured upon the belt at interyals'through the length of the same, some of the ribs being arranged under the fastening straps, button-engaging members on the belt adjacent the upper ends of 7 some of the ribs, and binding covering the edges of the belt and the ends of the ribs.

3. A. device for the purpose set forth comprising a belt of textile fabric wider at its ends than at its middle, bracing strips disposed against the outer face of the-belt at intervals in and transverse to the length of the same, textile covers secured upon the belt over said bracing strips, a binding secured along all the edges of the belt and extending over the ends of said covers and strips, a reinforcing strip secured upon the outer face of the belt at the upper edge thereof and extending over the upper ends of said covers and having its upper edge under the binding on the upper edge of the belt, button-engaging members carried by the said strap and the belt adjacent'the upper ends of some of the bracing strips, and coeperating divergent fastening straps secured upon the outer face of the belt adjacent the ends thereof, the fixed ends of said fastening straps being disposed immediately adjacent some of the bracing strips with the strips under the straps and the remaining portions of said straps being free and the upper fastening straps being in alinement with the reinforcing strap.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

LOUIS o. LEAK. L 8.]

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

